Shimba Hills
National Reserve Background
Information:
The Shimba Hills were gazetted as a National Forest in
1903, grassland areas were incorporated in 1924 and
several subsequent extensions took place to bring the
Reserve to its present size. In 1968 most of the
Reserve was double gazetted as the Shimba Hills
National Reserve. Two smaller areas to the west
adjoining the reserve and almost entirely forested
remain as Forest Reserves; Mkongani North and Mkongani
West Forest Reserve.
A fenced elephant corridor connects the Shimba Hills
with Mwaluganje Forest Reserve to the North.

The Shimba hills are a dissected plateau that ascends
steeply from the coastal plains, 30 km south west of
Mombasa and just south of Kwale town. The surrounding
escarpment rises from around 120m to 300m across the
bulk of the plateau and as high as 450m at Marare and
Pengo hills.

The underlying rocks are the Triassic Shimba Grits and
in the north central part near Kwale town Pliecone
Magarini sands. Rivers flowing from the hills supply
fresh water to Mombasa and the Diani/Ukunda area.

Shimba Hills National Reserve Location:
The reserve is approximately 33 km South of Mombasa,
in Kwale district of Coast Province.

Shimba Hills National Reserve Climate:
The climate is hot and moist but is cooler than that
at the coast with strong sea breezes and frequent mist
and cloud in the early morning. Annual rainfall is
855mm-1682mm. Mean annual temperatures is 24.2 degrees
Centigrade.

How To Get To Shimba Hills National Reserve:Roads:
The reserve's main access is via Diani. - 56 kms from
Mombasa.

Shimba Hills National Reserve Common Vegetation:
The Shimba Hills hold one of the largest areas of
coastal rain forest in East Africa after Arabuko
Sokoke. The vegetation consists of forested scarp
slopes and undulating grasslands interspersed with
woodland clumps and ribbons of riverine forest in the
steeply cut valleys.